Suitable models of pathological knee‐joint diseases were created on rabbits using biological‐surgical techniques. At regular intervals during the progress of the disease, acoustical signatures were retrieved during flexion and extension of the knee joints. The noise was recorded on tape and digitized using an A/D converter. With the use of an IBM computer various statistical analysis were performed. The rabbits were sacrificed at regular intervals during the experiment and the roughness measured with a profilometer. The spatial waveform was recorded and statistically analyzed. Preliminary results showed that close correlation exists between the degree of roughness of the “diseased” cartilage and the acoustical signature emitted. This study verifies the strong correlation between the knee‐joint cartilage pathological condition and the acoustical noise emitted during extension and flexion. [Work supported by NIH.]

© 1976 Acoustical Society of America